Indicator for doors.



P. W-, WASCHAU.

INDICATOR FOR DOORS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. I915.

1, 171,287. 7 Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

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I x i i; I N "1* 4-01! 'n-IB COLUMBIA PMNOORAPH co., WASH NGTON D 6 fl I HEW J0 b rren srai rns raranr oration PAUL w. WASCHAU, OF ivrAxwoon, iLLINoI's.

INDICATOR non'noons.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL W'. WAsoHAU,

, of opening the door such as is required at the present time. 1 I

A further object is the production of a device as mentioned which will be'of simple construction and efiicient in use. 7

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a door equipped with an indicator embodying the invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line -00 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View of the door and door casing exposing the indicating device, one side of the housing of the latter being broken away to expose underlying parts, Fig. at is an enlarged section taken on line y-y of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a detail end view of the operating handle of the indicator.

The preferred form of construction, as illustrated in the drawing, comprises a substantially rectangular housing 1 mortised in the free edge of the door in connection with which the indicator is employed, at a height which will be convenient for readily observing the same. The housing 1 is secured in position by means of screws 3. Slidably mounted within the housing is a plate 4 upon one side of which are provided indications In and Out adapted for exposure at exposure opening 5 formed in one side of housing 1. The opening 5 registers with a corresponding opening 6 which is formed in the outer side of the door 2, a finishing plate 7 surrounding the opening 6,

Specification of Letters Patent.

asshown. The arrangement is such, as will be seen, that when the plate 1 is at one terminal of movement, the word In will be exposed, and when said plate is at its other Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

Application filed April 12, 1915. .Serial No. 20,907.

terminal of movement the word Out will be exposed. Said plate 4 is carried by a rack bar which is shiftably mounted in housing 1, guide lugs 9 and 9 being formed upon one wall of said housing for engagement with the upper and lower edges of said rack bar, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Formed in the outer end of the housing 1 is a slot '10 through which the outer end of said rack bar is adaptedto project when the plate I is in a position with the word In thereof exposed. The outer end ofv said rack bar,

when in the latter position, is adapted to engage with a slot 11 provided for the reception thereof in the adjacent side of the door casing 11 to serve as a means of locking the door in closed position. When the plate 4 is shifted to its other terminal of movement, or to a position in which the word Out is exposed, the outer end of rackbar 8 will be retracted out of engagement with the slot 11 or to inoperative position. V

.he rack bar 8 is actuated by means of a segmental pinion 12 rotatably mounted in the housing 1', said pinion meshing with rack teeth 13 formeduponthe inner end of bar 8. The pinion 12 is manually rotated through the medium of a handle or thumbturn 14 having a stem 15 provided at its inner end with a square socket 16 adapted for snug engagement with an axial lug 17 of corresponding formation provided upon the adjacent side of pinion 12. The handle 14 is secured to said pinion by means of-a screw 18 projecting through said handle and the stem thereof and engaging in the adja cent side of said pinion, as shown. A bushing 19 is provided in the door for engagement with the handle stem 15. WVith this arrangement then, it will be seen, that shifting of the rack bar 8 to move the indicator plate 4 is effected by turning of the handle 14, the arrangement being such that, when said handle is in vertical position, as shown, the rack bar will be at its outer terminal of movement and the word In exposed, and

when said handle is in horizontal position,

to advise those upon the outside or inthe corridor of this fact, it is only necessary to turn the handle 1% to the position shown in the drawing, in which event the Word In, exposed at the outer side of the door, will advise that the room is occupied. Upon the occupant leaving the room, he will be required to turn the handle let to withdraw the outer end of bar 8, in which event the Word Out will be exposed at the outer side of the door, to advise of this fact. By so arranging the bar 8 that the outer end thereof projects into locking position upon the device being adjusted to indicate the occupancy of the room, provision is made whereby it will be impossible for the occupant to neglect adjusting the device to indicate his departure or vacation of'the room, upon leaving, since it will be impossible to open the door without first adjusting the device to expose the word Out. The pinion 12 is formed with a reduced portion-2O which serves as a stop-for the plated in the movement of the latter to a position in which the word Out is exposed.

The device is simple and economical in construction and hence may be manufactured at a low cost, and the construction permits of ready installation in any door.

When a hotel door is equipped with this device, it will avoid the annoying and exceedingly distasteful disturbance of a slumbereroccupying-a room by hotel employees, such as chamber maids, who at the present time are requii ed to enter a room in order to determine whether or not the same is occupied.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I,

therefore, do not wish to be limited to one precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what i. claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. in indicator for doors comprising a housing having an exposure opening in one side thereof; a shiftably mounted member arranged in said housing having indications thereon adapted for exposure at said exposure opening; means for shifting said member, said means comprising a rack bar connected with said member; a manually operable pinion meshing with said rack bar; and means on said pinion for engagement with said member to limit shifting movement thereof in one direction, substantially as described.

2. An indicator for doors comprising a housing having an exposureopening in one side thereof; a shiftably mounted member arrangedin said housing having indications thereon adapted for eXposure at said exposure opening; means for shifting said member, said means comprising a rack bar connected with said member; a manually operable pinion meshing with said rack bar; and an annular shoulder on said pinion for engagement with said member to limit shift ing movement thereof in one direction, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL W. \VASCHAU.

Witnesses JosnuA R. H. Po'rTs, ARTHUR A. OLsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, I). C. 

